The momentous shift from in-person to online work arrangements has been a catalyst for new technology, especially communication technologies designed to make remote collaboration easier. Zoom quickly became a leader among communication providers seeing a 169% revenue increase in 2020.
Zoom has committed to this expanding market, leveraging its revenue growth from the pandemic into investments, the most recent being the acquisition of Five9, a cloud-based customer service platform. This $14.7 billion acquisition is Zoom’s way of confirming that hybrid workforces are the future.
The acquisition of Five9 is proof that cloud-based services are here to stay and although businesses were gradually embracing these services before 2020, the pandemic initiated a surge of adoption for cloud technology. The Five9 acquisition also accelerates Zoom into the contact center market and will transform how companies operating call centers are able to connect with their customers – a compelling sign that Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is a must-have investment.
Rethinking the future of workplace operations
Remote work was new for many employers and employees during the pandemic, but with many workers looking for flexibility in their future workplace, this seismic shift in workforce structure is something that is sure to stay. Although employees have demonstrated the ability to be productive from home, some companies are still skeptical. With the right CCaaS solutions however, employers get the confidence they need with better visibility over remote work.
CCaaS solutions can promote increased productivity while also streamlining work. These solutions allow employers to track productivity, a capability some companies find useful in the remote work environment. Further, AI and machine learning can take care of monotonous tasks such as answering customer inquiries, allowing workers to focus their time on more intricate tasks.
CCaaS also creates a more efficient workplace, saving employers time and money, while also giving employees the flexibility they want. With benefits for both sides, these solutions are proving to be necessary for future workplace operations.
The new virtual customer experience
With quarantines and remote work forcing consumers to increasingly rely on their phones, companies have had to figure out how to meet customers' needs virtually. To do so, businesses began implementing CCaaS solutions. Now, as we begin to move to a “new normal,” CCaaS will be critical in creating an enhanced customer experience.
Much of customer satisfaction comes from the timeliness in which their needs are met. Previously, things like holidays or lunch breaks would be barriers for assistance, but with CCaaS, getting customers what they need is always instantaneous. The use of chatbots or interactive voice response technology can deliver a reliably quick reply, no matter the time of the day. CCaaS can also enhance business continuity so that customers always get what they need as soon as possible.
Customers are also looking for a brand experience. Typically achieved through physical retail stores, consumers are using more online channels than ever before. This means the brand experience needs to be brought into the digital landscape as well. This can be done through creating personalization and flexibility. With the data collected from CCaaS software, a unique and tailored interaction can be created for every individual customer.
With the right CCaaS software, brands will be able to build strong relationships with customers and differentiate themselves in saturated marketplaces. The data that CCaaS pulls can create these personalized, meaningful interactions that businesses need to set themselves apart from competition.
The cloud is the future of contact centers
The number of businesses that are switching to CCaaS options is immense; Gartner predicts that CCaaSS will be the preferred model for half of all contact centers by 2022. The growth of these services makes sense considering how much money businesses can save. Poor customer service can cost more than $75 billion in revenue and impact customer loyalty – but with CCaaS businesses can keep up with the high-quality service that customers are demanding. Companies can offer options for their employees to work remotely with the ability to tap into a national employer database of candidates to fill agency headcount. With the use of AI, a customer’s next action can be anticipated, creating a more personalized customer experience.
As the recent Zoom acquisition announcement suggests, the future of contact centers is in the cloud. These cloud-based contact center services allow for consistent and responsive customer service with improved efficiency and lower costs. No matter where the future of work stands, one thing is for sure – CCaaS is here to stay.
